


our children's future

by Aelig



Series: Comfortember 2020 [13]
Category: Superboy (Comics), Superman - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Baking, Clark Kent is a good parent, Earth-197, Gen, Jonathan "Pa" Kent is a Good Parent, Ma Kent's famous pie, Martha Kent is a Good Parent, parenting is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27543160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aelig/pseuds/Aelig
Summary: "Clark had a very bad day.And, like usual, everytime he needed to feel better after a bad day, everytime he needed to remember what he was fighting for, why he had to stay strong and keep going... He flew to Smallville."OR: Clark still needs his parents, and they're still here for him.
Relationships: Clark Kent & Jonathan "Pa" Kent, Clark Kent & Jonathan "Pa" Kent & Martha Kent, Clark Kent & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Clark Kent & Martha Kent, Jonathan "Pa" Kent/Martha Kent, Minor Clark Kent/Lois Lane - Relationship
Series: Comfortember 2020 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1996051
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	our children's future

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!! I hope you're all okay!! :heart:
> 
> Today the prompt is Baking :fingerguns: I really loved writing this, Ma and Pa Kent are the best. 
> 
> Thanks once again [Dottie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dottie_wan_kenobi/pseuds/dottie_wan_kenobi) for being my beta! You're amazing :heart:

Clark had a very bad day.

He was late for work after he had to help with an earthquake in San Francisco, didn't manage to save everyone and had to witness too many deaths, got a coffee dropped on him right before a very important interview, then got bothered by Luthor once more, tried to help Chris with his maths and didn't understand a thing. He drew the line at his argument with Conner; after that, he just flew away to calm down.

And, like usual, everytime he needed to feel better after a bad day, everytime he needed to remember what he was fighting for, why he had to stay strong and keep going... He flew to Smallville.

He landed down in the Kents' land, not too far from the farm itself but far enough from everything so no one would see him. He walked, taking his time to calm himself even more, looking at the fields around him and admiring the view.

It helped; by the time he was at the door, he already felt better.

The door opened before he even knocked, letting Pa and his wide smile appear.

“Hello, son.”

Clark smiled. “Hey, Pa.”

His father widened the door, letting him the space to come in. He closed it behind him, gesturing to him to sit on the couch if he wanted to – but not before hugging him tightly. “Martha, our son is here!”

Ma exited the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, her usual soft smile on her face. “Hello, sweetie.” Clark kissed his mother's cheek. “How are you doing?”

“It's... been a bad day,” he answered, and his parents shared a _look_. The kind of look he saw his entire childhood without really getting, and the one he tended to share with Lois every time they wanted to talk about their children in front of them. It made him smile, now.

“Alright. You come with me, and your father stays here.”

Ma didn't really leave him a choice, but it's not like someone would disobey Ma. He waved as his father – who mouthed _good luck_ to him before going back to his favorite armchair – and followed his mother.

She was baking, and Clark started helping her with the force of habit – he grew up doing just that, after all. Baking with his mother was familiar, and home, and happiness.

They were doing a pie. He could recognize the ingredients without a doubt.

At first, they didn't talk; they concentrated on mixing and cutting and doing things right. Finally, Ma hummed and looked at him. It was the look she used everytime she wanted him to talk, since he was a little kid worried about making friends. Somehow, it still worked on him.

He sighed.

“I had a bad day.”

“The earthquake?” she asked, and of course his parents followed the event. They always did.

“Yeah, and other things.” She left him the time he needed to gather his thoughts. “I... I had an argument with Conner.”

“About what?”

“I...” Clark sighed again. “About college. I know he doesn't like studying so much, but I'm still worried about his future.” Her look pressed him to continue. “It's just... He likes what he's doing but he values more being a superhero, and I don't want that for him. I mean, I want him to be happy, of course, but I don't want him to put being a superhero before his own life.”

“Oh, that's the type of things all parents feel, dear.”

Clark gave an apologetic smile to his mother. “I wasn't that terrible, right?”

Ma laughed. “Oh, you wish I never told anything to your kids, do you? But no, don't worry. You were sweet.”

“Thanks, Ma.”

“Anyway, how did you explain that to him?”

“Maybe... Maybe not in the best way? I was kind of angry, and we received a call from university to tell us Conner had missed classes again and...” he sighed again. “I can understand his desire to help. I feel it, even. But I don't want him to put his life on hold for that. He deserve his own life, especially-”

“Especially because he hadn't been created to have his own life?”

Clark swallowed. Conner's conception still was a hard subject for him and for his son. “Yes.”

Ma smiled softly at him. “And it's honorable, sweetie. I think we all feel this way.”

He smiled at her too, relaxing a little. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” They went back to their baking for a minute or two before Clark started talking again. “I'm just... I think that's what makes me more angry, is the fact that he was there this morning, in San Francisco, helping like me, but... He didn't tell me. He hid from me. I thought...” He took another breath. “Ma, did I do something wrong for my own son to hide from me?”

It was the source of the problem – of his anger. He was worried, deeply, and he couldn't quite manage to get rid of it. The months Conner spent away after Clark's return to life weighed on his conscience. He wanted the best for his kids, all of them, but somehow he was always more worried about his oldest son; maybe because of these months apart, or the way he had been conceived, or because they often had a hard time seeing eye-to-eye. He knew Lois had a bond with him he couldn't even dream of having – not that he was out of his son's life, they were close in their own way. It was just... different.

In the end, Clark was always afraid of doing the wrong thing with Conner – to say the thing that would finally drive him away. He didn't want that to happen, though, and maybe he ended up making things worse.

“Clark. Did you talk about that with Lois?”

He blinked and looked at his mother. He couldn't help but blush under her stare, especially when he had to shake his head.

“Then you should. But from my own point of view... I think Conner just wants to make you proud, Clark. He just doesn't want to disappoint you. I bet it's not the first time you both argued about his future?” He grimaced, which was answer enough for Ma. “He probably didn't want you to be disappointed to see him helping instead of being in classes.”

Clark thought back to the argument; what Ma said was making sense with some of his son's reactions. Besides, she was rarely wrong about these types of things.

“... I should talk to him, shouldn't I?”

She smiled sweetly at him. “It's always hard to see your children grow up. Parents always make mistakes, but the important part is to acknowledge them, apologize and do better. Conner will understand.”

“It wasn't this hard with Mia,” he said, half-joking, before smiling fully at his mother. “Thanks Ma. I don't know what I would do without you.”

“Oh, I don't even want to think about that, sweetie. In the meantime, you get a pie for your family tonight.”

The pie was, in fact, in the oven, almost done. Their conversation took time, after all. Clark tried to protest – it was supposed to be his parents' dinner, not his, and he didn't like the idea of taking it away from them. But Ma showed him away without listening and forced him to sit with his father, going back to the kitchen after.

“Your Ma wants to give you the pie?” asked Pa with a knowing smile.

“Yeah,” sighed Clark.

Pa hummed. “You two had a good talk?”

Clark nodded. “I think, yes. It... I needed it.”

His father smiled and patted his knees, like he always did. “You're here at home, son.”

“Thanks, Pa.”

Clark relaxed against the couch. He was feeling better already, surrounded by the smells and sounds of his childhood.

Tonight, he would take the time to apologize to his son and have a real, serious conversation with him. He would take time with his wife and children and laugh with them while eating the pie he made with his mother. He would hug them and think how lucky he was to have them in his life, how much he loved them.

In the meantime, he closed his eyes and smiled, finally appeased by his parents' presence.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it!! 
> 
> Tomorrrow we have Road Trip :D
> 
> Take care, a lot of love!! :heart:


End file.
